Electrically wound clock



Dec. 20, 1932. JUNGHANS 1,891,282

ELECTRICALLY WOUND CLOCK Filed May 25, 1931 INVEN 0R.-

Patented Dec. 20, 1932 HELMUT J'UNGHANS, O13 SCHRAMBERG, WURTEMBERG, GERMANY ELECTRICALLY WOUND CLOCK 7 Application filed. May 25, 1931, Serial No. 539,871, and in Germany July 11, 1930.

My invention relates to striking clocks in which a driving spring used both for the movement and for the striking mechanism is wound electrically, thus providing a working reserve for any interruptions in the cur rent. In clocks of this kind it is advantagee ous, should the interruptions be of long dura tion, to stop the striking mechanism in Order that the interruptions may be observed, and

in order to maintain the working reserve for the movement, effective for a relatively long period.

According to my invention this is attained by those means that the running down of the driving spring causes a traveling nut to move along a screw spindle and to train with it an adjusting piece by which it locks the striking mechanism or mechanisms as soon as the working reserve has fallen to a predetermined minimum. Advantageously the said adjusting piece has a conical part by which it will slide along a lever adapted to lock the striking mechanismindirec'tly or directly. The position of this conicalpart is such that the locking of the striking mechanism takes place as soon as the working reserve has fallen to the determined minimum.

Apparatus according to my invention is illustrated by way of examplein the accompanying drawing. Figure l is a plan viewed from below, and Figure 2 is a corresponding side elevation.

On a screw spindle 1 there is mounted a nut 2- in the form of a spur-wheel. This nut has a collar 3 by which it engages in a groove 4 of an adjusting piece 5. The latter is 1011- gitudinally movable on a rod 6 and has a conical part 7 A lever 8which rocks on a pin 9 secured to the frame of the clock-work bears .by its part 10 against the adjusting piece 5 and by apin 11 mounted on its free end against the locking lever 12. The latter rocks on a fixed pin 13 and carries asmall plate 14 adapted to move into the path of a pin 15 mounted on a wheel 16 of the striking mechanism.

When the. driving spring runs down the nut 2 is rotated by a wheel of the movement (not illustrated), for example, that of the 5 spring-barrel, which wheel is in engagement with the teethof the nut, the direction of rotation being such that the nut travels along the spindle 1, which is then stationary, in the direction indicated by the arrow. The nut trains with it the adjusting piece 5 which slides with its conical part 7 along the part 10 of the lever 8 and thus gives this lever and the lockinglever 12 a rotary movement so that the plate 14 moves into the path of the pin 15. Thus the wheel 16 is stopped and the striking mechanism is locked. After the interruption of the current has ceased the spindle 1 is rotated under the action of the winding motor in the same direction as the nut 2 previously moved. Consequently the latter travels back along the spindle 1, again training with it the adjusting piece 5, thus allowing the levers 8 and 12 to return into the position indicated in the drawing, for ex- I ample, under the action of a spring, so that the striking mechanism is released.

What I claim as my invention and desire to 1 secure by Letters Patent is: v

1. In a striking clock having a common driving spring for the movement and for the striking mechanism andan electromotor for winding up said spring, the combination of a screw spindle, a nut mounted on said screw spindle and adapted to be moved along the same in one direction by said motor in wind- 90 ing up said spring and in the opposite direction by the clock movement when said spring runs down, locking means for the striking mechanism, and means adapted to be moved by said nut and to operate said locking means so as to lock the striking mechanism, when said spring has run down to a predetermined amount, and to unlock said mechanism, when said spring is wound up again.

2. Ina striking clock having a common driving spring for the movement and for the striking mechanism and an electromotor for winding up said spring, the combination of a screw spindle, a nut mounted on said screw spindleand adapted to be moved along the same in one direction by said motor in winding up saidspring and in the opposite directionby the clock movement when said spring runs down, locking means for the striking mechanism, levers for operating said locking means, and an adjusting piece adapted to be moved by said nut and to move said levers so as to cause said locking means to lock the striking mechanism, when said spring has run down to a predetermined amount, and to unlock said mechanism, when said spring is wound up again,

In testimony whereof I afiix my si nature.

H. JUNGH AN 

